Vehicle and rail radiation detection systems that detect the presence of radioactive materials in vehicles containing scrap metals or waste materials are known. The systems are typically installed at metal recycling centers or waste dumps to monitor vehicles entering the site to ensure that no material being dumped emits radiation above a certain level. Examples of such systems include the Vehicle and Rail Radiation Detection System by Rad/Comm Systems of Valparaiso, Ind., and the Vanguard System by Thermo Electric Corp. of Santa Fe, N. Mex.
These systems typically include a microprocessor controller and large detector assemblies mounted on each side of a vehicle pass-through, such as a road or railroad track. In operation, a truck or rail car passes the detectors and the data collected by the detectors is transferred to the controller. If the detected radiation levels exceed a certain threshold, the controller emits an alarm to alert an operator. In the Vanguard system, the detected radiation levels collected by the detectors are continually printed as a graph on a paper tape for viewing by the operator.
Although such systems effectively inform an operator of radioactive loads, the systems have disadvantages. One problem is that there is no association between the plotted radiation levels and the vehicles passing-through the system. That is, the operator has no way of knowing which radiation levels on the graph belong to which truck.
Another problem is that once a vehicle sets off the alarm and the vehicle leaves the site, there is no way to monitor the whereabouts of the vehicle. Finally, little or no thought is given to how the information about the vehicle should be used or communicated to proper authorities.
Although current detection systems protect against the dumping of noncompliant materials such as radioactive waste, these systems fail to protect against illegal and noncompliant interstate transportation of such materials. In addition, the systems fail to act as an anti-terrorism solution that can easily be deployed to a variety of security checkpoints, such as at the entrance to facilities and important events to check for car bombs and other types of contraband. The present invention addresses such needs.